This invention relates to a control apparatus and a control method for a construction machine such as a hydraulic excavator to which a plurality of working attachments such as, for example, a bucket and a breaker (hammer) can be attached, and more particularly to a control apparatus and a control method for a construction machine suitable for use with a construction machine wherein a type and so forth of an attachment attached to a construction machine body can be displayed.
Conventionally, in a construction machine such as a hydraulic excavator which is a kind of working machine, various working attachments such as a breaker (hydraulic hammer) and a bucket can be removably attached comparatively readily so that the construction machine can perform various works.
Here, a construction machine such as a hydraulic excavator to which a breaker 2 is attached as a working attachment is described with reference to FIG. 18.
As shown in FIG. 18, in a construction machine 1 such as a hydraulic excavator, an upper revolving unit (construction machine body) 101 is mounted for revolving motion in a horizontal plane on a lower travelling body 100. The upper revolving unit 101 includes a main frame 102, and an operator cab 103, an engine room 104 and so forth provided on the main frame 102.
A boom 105 is connected for pivotal motion to the upper revolving unit 101 by a pin not shown, and a stick 106 is connected for pivotal motion to an end portion of the boom 105 by a pin 105A.
A working attachment (hereinafter referred to simply as attachment) 2 such as a breaker (hydraulic hammer) is connected for pivotal motion to an end portion of the stick 106 by a pin 106A. The attachment 2 is removably attached to the end portion of the stick 106. It is to be noted that, in FIG. 18, a breaker is shown attached as the attachment 2.
A boom driving hydraulic cylinder (boom driving actuator) 107 for expanding or contracting the distance between end portions thereof to drive the boom 105 to pivot with respect to the upper revolving unit 101 is interposed between the upper revolving unit 101 and the boom 105.
A stick driving hydraulic cylinder (stick driving actuator) 108 for expanding or contracting the distance between end portions thereof to drive the stick 106 to pivot with respect to the boom 105 is interposed between the boom 105 and the stick 106.
An attachment driving hydraulic cylinder 109 for expanding or contracting the distance between end portions thereof to drive the attachment 2 to pivot with respect to the stick 106 is interposed between the stick 106 and the attachment 2. The attachment driving hydraulic cylinder 109 is mounted for pivotal motion on the stick 106 and the attachment 2 with rods 110 and 111 interposed therebetween.
The attachment 2 is a kind of hydraulic actuator and individually has a unique operation condition (rated supply oil pressure and flow rate). For example, even if the attachment 2 is of the same type, if the maker and the capacity are different, then also the rated supply oil pressure and/or flow rate required are different, and also an optimum operation condition is different.
Therefore, working oil to be supplied from hydraulic pumps 5 and 6 must be controlled so as to satisfy an operation condition unique to each attachment.
Thus, a technique is available wherein registers corresponding to varieties of the rated pressure and flowrate of the attachment (here, breaker) 2 are provided in a control apparatus for a construction machine and a battery is connected to the registers, and one of electric signals (here, electric currents) of them is inputted to an solenoid proportional valve through a manually operable changeover switch so that it is converted by the solenoid proportional valve into an oil pressure, which is inputted to a pump regulator.
With such a control apparatus for a construction machine as just described, however, when the attachment 2 is to be operated, the manually operable changeover switch must be changed over every time to the register with which a necessary supply oil pressure and flow rate are obtained in advance. This operation is cumbersome and incidentally deteriorates the working efficiency.
Therefore, another technique has been proposed wherein, when the attachment 2 is to be attached to the construction machine body 101, unique information of the attachment 2 to be attached (information regarding the type of the attachment 2 and an operation condition of the attachment 2) is inputted to the control apparatus for the construction machine and the type of the attachment 2 is automatically discriminated based on the unique information, and a unique operation condition (pump discharge pressure, flow rate and so forth) required for each attachment 2 can be automatically set in accordance with the type.
However, in case a failure in contact or the like occurs with the control system, the type of the attachment 2 may be discriminated but in error or a wrong operation condition may be set for the attachment 2. In such an instance, since an operation condition required by the attachment 2 attached to the construction machine body 101 is not set, an original function of the attachment 2 attached cannot be exhibited.
Further, if the control system suffers from some disconnection or a like trouble, unique information of the attachment 2 attached may not be inputted to the control apparatus. Also in this instance, discrimination of the type of the attachment 2 or setting of an operation condition of the attachment 2 cannot be performed automatically by the control apparatus, and an original function of the attachment 2 attached cannot be exhibited.
Therefore, it is a possible idea to provide a display apparatus in the operator cab 103 of the construction machine body 101 such that the type of the attachment 2 is displayed on the display apparatus so that the operator can confirm a result of the automatic discrimination and, when unique information of the attachment 2 is not inputted, discrimination failure display is performed on the display apparatus.
However, only if discrimination failure display is performed on the display apparatus, discrimination of the type of the attachment 2 or setting of an operation condition of the attachment 2 cannot be performed, and no essential solution can be obtained.
The present invention has been made in view of such a subject as described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a control apparatus and a control method for a construction machine by which, even if unique information of a working attachment attached to a construction machine body cannot be inputted, an operation condition suitable for the working attachment attached can be set with certainty by a simple operation.
According to the present invention, there is provided a control apparatus for a construction machine wherein a working attachment is removably attached to a construction machine body, characterized in that it comprises a control section for discriminating a type of the working attachment and controlling a hydraulic power source, which supplies working oil to the working attachment, based on unique information for setting an operation condition required by the working attachment in accordance with the type, a display section for displaying the type of the working attachment discriminated by the control section and performing discrimination failure display when the control section has failed to discriminate the type of the working attachment, and a standard set value setting section for setting, when the discrimination failure display is performed by the display section, the type of the working attachment and a standard value regarding the operation condition of the working attachment, and that the control section is capable of controlling the hydraulic power source based on the operation condition set based on the unique information of the working attachment or information of the standard set value set by the standard set value setting section.
Due to such a construction as described above, there is an advantage that, although discrimination failure display is performed by the display section if unique information of an attachment attached to the construction machine body cannot be inputted to the control section and the control section fails to discriminate the type of the attachment, also in this instance, a standard set value regarding an operation condition suitable for the attached working attachment can be set by a simple operation and with certainty by the standard set value setting section. Consequently, a hydraulic power source can be controlled based on information of the standard set value, and the working attachment can be operated in an appropriate operation condition.
Preferably, the control apparatus for a construction machine further comprises a confirmation switch for performing an operation for a premise of start of control by the control section, and the control section starts control of the hydraulic power source after confirming a switch operation by the confirmation switch.
Due to such a construction as just described, it can be confirmed by an operation of the confirmation switch that a correct confirmation condition of the working attachment has been set, and control of the hydraulic power source is started after the switch operation by the confirmation switch is confirmed by the control section. Consequently, there is an advantage that, even if the control section discriminates the type of the working attachment in error because of some disconnection or the like, inappropriate hydraulic power source control is prevented from being performed.
Preferably, the standard set value setting section includes a plurality of set standard values to which a priority order is applied, and the control section is capable of controlling the hydraulic power source based on the operation condition set based on the unique information of the working attachment or information of a standard set value from the standard set value setting section selected in accordance with the priority order.
Due to such a construction as just described, since a standard set value is selected in accordance with the priority order, there is an advantage that setting of a standard set value by an operator can be performed smoothly.
Preferably, the display section performs discrimination failure display when the control section discriminates by a predetermined number of times that the unique information is not normal.
Preferably, when the standard set value is set by the standard set value setting section, the display section displays the type of the working attachment and the standard set value regarding the operation condition of the working attachment.
Preferably, control apparatus for a construction machine further comprises changing means for changing the standard set value.
Due to such a construction as just described above, there is an advantage that, since the standard set value can be changed by the standard set value changing means, an operation condition more suitable to the attached working attachment can be set.
Preferably, the changing means includes a changing switch which is capable of being manually operated by an operator.
Preferably, the changing switch is provided on the display section, and change of the type of the working attachment and the standard set value regarding the operation condition of the working attachment which is performed by an operation of the changing switch is capable of being performed while the type of the working attachment and the standard set value regarding the operation condition of the working attachment displayed on the display section are confirmed.
Preferably, the control apparatus for a construction machine further comprises a unique information storage member for discriminating the type of the working attachment and storing the unique information for setting the operation condition required by the working attachment in accordance with the type, and the control section automatically sets discrimination of the type of the working attachment and the operation condition required by the working attachment based on the unique information fetched from the unique information storage member.
Preferably, the unique information storage member is an IC memory, a connector, a bar code or a transmitter.
Where the unique information storage member is a transmitter, preferably the transmitter performs transmission of the unique information to the control section by wire communication or by radio communication.
Where the transmitter performs transmission of the unique information to the control section by wire communication or by radio communication, preferably the transmitter performs transmission of the unique information to the control section through a data communication interface or through a buffer.
According to the present invention, there is provided a control method for a construction machine wherein a working attachment is removably attached to a construction machine body for discriminating a type of the working attachment and controlling a hydraulic power source for supplying working oil to the working attachment based on unique information for setting an operation condition required by, the working attachment in accordance with the type, characterized in that it comprises a displaying step in which a type display mode wherein the discriminated type of the working attachment is displayed on a display section and a discrimination failure display mode wherein discrimination failure display is performed on the display section when the type of the working attachment cannot be discriminated are taken selectively, a standard set value setting step of setting, when the discrimination failure display is performed in the displaying step, the type of the working attachment and a standard set value regarding the operation condition of the working attachment, and a controlling step of controlling the hydraulic power source based on the operation condition set based on the unique information of the working attachment or information of the standard set value set in the standard set value setting step.
Due to such a construction as described above, there is an advantage that, although discrimination failure display is performed by the display section if unique information of an attachment attached to the construction machine body cannot be inputted to the control section and the control section fails to discriminate the type of the attachment, also in this instance, a standard set value regarding an operation condition suitable for the attached working attachment can be set by a simple operation and with certainty by the standard set value setting section. Consequently, a hydraulic power source can be controlled based on information of the standard set value, and the working attachment can be operated in an appropriate operation condition.